‘Soul,’ ‘Wolfwalkers’ Top Annie Award Nominations for Animated Films

“Soul” and “Wolfwalkers” led all films in nominations for the 48th annual Annie Awards, the most comprehensive awards show devoted solely to animation. The two films each received 10 nominations, with “Onward” receiving seven and “The Croods: A New Age,” “The Willoughbys” and “Over the Moon” receiving six.

“Soul,” “Onward,” “The Croods: A New Age,” “The Willoughbys” and “Trolls World Tour” were nominated in the Best Feature category. In the Best Indie Feature category, which was created in 2015, the nominees were “Wolfwalkers,” “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon,” “Calamity Jane,” “On-Gaku: Our Sound” and “Ride Your Wave.”

Netflix led all companies with 40 nominations, with Disney/Pixar receiving 29 (20 for Pixar, nine for Disney) and DreamWorks Animation receiving 20. In the film categories, the two Pixar movies, “Soul” and “Onward,” received 17 nominations to 15 for the Netflix-distributed “The Willoughbys,” “Shaun the Sheep” and “Over the Moon,” and 10 for DWA’s “The Croods” and “Trolls.”

Since the Annies split the two categories, at least two and as many as four Best Feature nominees have gone on to receive Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature every year, while one or two Best Indie Feature nominees have also been honored by the Academy each year. The Oscar winner, in all cases, has come from the Annies’ Best Feature category.

The Annie Awards will take place on Friday, April 16 in a virtual ceremony.

The nominees:

Best Feature
Onward, Pixar Animation Studios
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios
The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation
The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media
Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation

Best Indie Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Studiocanal and Aardman present in association with Anton Capital Entertainment, an Aardman Production for Netflix
Calamity Jane, Maybe Movies
On-Gaku: Our Sound, Rock’n Roll Mountain, Tip Top
Ride Your Wave, Science SARU
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine

Best Special Production
Baba Yaga, Baobab Studios
Libresse / Bodyform – WombStories, Chelsea Pictures
Nixie & Nimbo, Hornet
Shooom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures
The Snail and the Whale, Magic Light Pictures

Best Short Subject
Filles Bleues, Peur Blanche, Miyu Productions
KKUM, open the portal
Souvenir Souvenir, Blast Production
The Places Where We Live (Cake), FX Productions and FX
World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The Absent Destinations of David Prime, Don Hertzfeldt

Best Sponsored
Erste Group ‘Edgar’s Christmas’, Pasion Animation Studios
Max & Maxine, Hornet
The Last Mile, Nexus Studios
There’s a Monster in my Kitchen, Cartoon Saloon, Mother
Travel the Vote, Hornet

Best TV/Media – Preschool
Buddi, Episode: Snow, Unanico Group
Muppet Babies, Episode: Wock-a-bye-Fozzie, Oddbot/Disney Junior
Stillwater, Episode: The Impossible Dream / Stuck in the Rain, Apple / Gaumont / Scholastic
The Adventures of Paddington, Episode: Paddington Digs a Tunnel to Peru, Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I am Madam President, Episode: I am Madam President, 9 Story Media Group, Brown Bag Films

Best TV/Media – Children
Hilda, Episode: Chapter 9: The Deerfox, Silvergate Media for Netflix
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Episode: Finale Part 4: Rise, Nickelodeon Animation Studio
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Episode: Heart Part 2, DreamWorks Animation
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Episode: Shattered, Lucasfilm Animation
Victor And Valentino, Episode: The Lonely Haunts Club 3: La Llorona, Cartoon Network Studios

Best TV/Media – General Audience
Close Enough, Episode: Logan’s Run’d/Room Parents, Cartoon Network Studios
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, Episode: Coven Of The Damned, Cartoon Network Studios
Harley Quinn, Episode: Something Borrowed, Something Green, Eshugadee Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation
Rick and Morty, Episode: The Vat of Acid Episode, Rick and Morty LLC
The Midnight Gospel, Episode: Mouse of Silver, Titmouse Animation for Netflix

Best Student Film
100,000 Acres of Pine, Student director: Jennifer, Alice Wright School: The Animation Workshop
Coffin; Student directors: Yuanqing Cai, Nathan Crabot, Houzhi Huang, Mikolaj Janiw, Mandimby Lebon, Théo Tran Ngoc; School: Gobelins, l’ecole de l’image
La Bestia; Student directors: Marlijn Van Nuenen, Ram Tamez, Alfredo Gerard Kuttikatt; School: Gobelins, l’ecole de l’image
Latitude du printemps; Student directors: Sylvain Cuvillier, Chloé Bourdic, Theophile Coursimault, Noémie Halberstam, Malis, Mosny, Zijing Ye; School: Rubika
O Black Hole!, Student director: Renee Zhan, Student producer: Jesse Romain, School: National Film and Television School, UK

Best FX for TV/Media
Fast & Furious: Spy Racers, Episode: Sirocco Fire Explosion, DreamWorks Animation; Chris Browne, Brand Webb, Russell Richardson, Ardy Ala, Reggie Fourmyle
Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, Episode: Welcome to Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation; Emad Khalili, Ivan Wang
Lamp Life, Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios; Greg Gladstone, Keith Daniel Klohn, Matthew Wong
Tales of Arcadia: Wizards, Episode: Killahead, Part Two, DreamWorks Animation; Greg Lev, Igor Lodeiro, Brandon Tyra, Cui Wei, Ma Xiao
Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy (Siege), Episode: Episode 6, Rooster Teeth Productions for Netflix; Masanori Sakakibara

Best FX for Feature
Over the Moon, Netflix Pearl Studio; Ian Farnsworth, Brian Casper, Reinhold Rittinger, Zoran Stojanoski, Jennifer Lasrado
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Tolga Goktekin, Carl Kaphan, Hiroaki Narita, Enrique Vila, Kylie Wijsmuller
The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Amaury Aubel, Domin Lee, Alex Timchenko, Andrew Wheeler, Derek Cheung
Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation; Zachary Glynn, Landon Gray, Youxi Woo, John Kosnik, Doug Rizeakos
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Kim Kelly, Leena Lecklin, Frédéric Plumey, Almu Redondo, Nicole Storck

Best Character Animation – TV/Media
Alien Xmas, Netflix Presents Fairview Entertainment / Sonar Entertainment / Chiodo Bros. Productions; Kim Blanchette
BoJack Horseman, Episode: Good Damage, Tornante Productions, LLC for Netflix; James Bowman
Cosmos: Possible Worlds, Episode: Vavilov Starburns Industries; Dan MacKenzie
Hilda, Silvergate Media for Netflix; David Laliberte
Lamp Life, Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios; Lucas Fraga Pacheco

Best Character Animation – Feature
Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Shaun Chacko
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Michal Makarewicz
The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Rani Naamani
The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON, Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Andrés Bedate Martin
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Emmanuel Asquier-Brassart

Best Character Animation – Live Action
The Christmas Chronicles 2; Production Company: Netflix Presents A 26th Street Pictures / Wonder Worldwide Production; FX Production Company: Weta Digital; Nick Stein, Caroline Ting, Sebastian Trujillo, David Yabu, Paul Ramsden
The Mandalorian; Production Company: Lucasfilm; FX Production Company: Image Engine; Nathan Fitzgerald, Leo Ito, Chris Rogers, Eung Ho Lo, Emily Luk
The Umbrella Academy 2; Production Company: UCP for Netflix; FX Production Company: Weta Digital; Aidan Martin, Hunter Parks, Craig Young, Viki Yeo, Krystal Sae Eua
Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made; Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures; FX Production Company: Framestore; Anders Beer, Marianne Morency, Hennadii Prykhodko, Sophie Burie, Cedric Le Poullennec

Best Character Animation – Video Game
League of Legends, Riot Games, Inc.; Jose “Sho” Hernandez, Lana Bachynski , Christopher Hsing, Matthew Johnson, Jason Hendrich
Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales, Insomniac Games; Brian Wyser, Michael Yosh, Danny Garnett, David Hancock
Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios Xbox Game Studios iam8bit; Jim Donovan, Warren Goff, Boris Hiestand, Kim Nguyen, Jason Martinsen
The Last of Us Part II, Naughty Dog; Jeremy Yates, Eric Baldwin, Almudena Soria, Michal Mach, August Davies

Best Character Design – TV/Media
Amphibia, Episode: The Shut-In!, Disney TV Animation; Joe Sparrow
BNA, Episode: Runaway Raccoon, Trigger / Netflix; Yusuke Yoshigaki
Craig of the Creek, Cartoon Network Studios; Danny Hynes
Looney Tunes Cartoons, Warner Bros. Animation; Jim Soper
The Owl House, Episode: Young Blood, Old Souls, Disney Television Animation; Marina Gardner

Best Character Design – Feature
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Daniel Lopez Munoz
The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Joe Pitt
The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Craig Kellman
Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation; Timothy Lamb
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Federico Pirovano

Best Direction – TV/Media
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, Episode: Plague of Madness; Cartoon Network Studios; Genndy Tartakovsky
Great Pretender, Episode: Case 1_1, Los Angeles Connection Production I.G. for Fuji Television Network and Netflix; Hiro Kaburagi
Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart, Episode: Mao Mao’s Nakey, Titmouse Inc / Cartoon Network Studios; Michael Moloney
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Episode: Battle Nexus NYC, Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Alan Wan
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, Episode: Hard to Swallow, Disney Television Animation; Eddie Trigueros

Best Direction – Feature
Calamity Jane, Maybe Movies; Rémi Chayé
Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Glen Keane
Ride Your Wave, Science SARU; Masaaki Yuasa
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart

Best Music – TV/Media
Blood of Zeus, Episode: Escape or Die; Powerhouse Animation Studios for Netflix; Paul Edward-Francis
Mira Royal Detective, Episode: The Great Diwali Mystery, Wild Canary / Disney Junior; Amritha Vaz, Matthew Tishler, Jeannie Lurie
Star Trek: Lower Decks, Episode: Crisis Point, CBS’s Eye Animation Productions, Titmouse; Secret Hideout; and Roddenberry Entertainment; Chris Westlake
Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Episode: Victory and Death, Lucasfilm Animation; Kevin Kiner
The Tiger That Came to Tea, Lupus Films; David Arnold, Don Black

Best Music – Feature
Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Mychael Danna, Jeff Danna
Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Steven Price, Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield, Helen Park
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste
The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Mark Mothersbaugh, Alessia Cara, Jon Levine, Colton Fisher
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Bruno Coulais, Kíla

Best Production Design – TV/Media
Baba Yaga, Baobab Studios; Glenn Hernandez, Matthieu Saghezchi
Shooom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures; Julien Bisaro
The Adventures of Paddington Episode: Paddington and Halloween, Blue-Zoo Animation Studio and Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Negar Bagheri
To: Gerard, DreamWorks Animation; Raymond Zibach
Trash Truck, Glen Keane Productions for Netflix; Eastwood Wong, Sylvia Liu, Elaine Lee, Tor Aunet, Lauren Zurcher

Best Production Design – Feature
Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Noah Klocek, Sharon Calahan, Huy Nguyen, Bert Berry, Paul Conrad
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Steve Pilcher, Albert Lozano, Paul Abadilla, Bryn Imagire
The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production in association with Creative Wealth Media; Kyle McQueen
Trolls World Tour, DreamWorks Animation; Kendal Cronkhite Shaindlin, Timothy Lamb
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; María Pareja, Ross Stewart, Tomm Moore

Best Storyboarding – TV/Media
Archibald’s Next Big Thing, Episode: Baritone Tea Part 1, DreamWorks Animation; Ben McLaughlin
Big City Greens, Episode: Cheap Show, Walt Disney Television Animation; Kiana Khansmith
Looney Tunes Cartoons, Warner Bros. Animation; Andrew Dickman
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, Warner Bros. Animation; Milo Neuman
Shooom’s Odyssey, Picolo Pictures; Julien Bisaro

Best Storyboarding – Feature
Earwig and the Witch, Studio Ghibli; Goro Miyazaki
Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Glen Keane
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Trevor Jimenez
The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Evon Freeman
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Guillaume Lorin

Best Voice Acting – TV/Media
Dragons Rescue Riders, Episode: Hunt for the Golden Dragon, DreamWorks Animation; Jeff Bennett (Erik the Wretched)
It’s Pony, Episode: Episode 107, Blue-Zoo Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studio; Jessica DiCicco (Annie)
Phineas and Ferb the Movie Episode: Candace Against the Universe, Walt Disney Television Animation & Disney Plus; Ashley Tisdale (Candace)
Tales of Arcadia: Wizards, Episode: Our Final Act, DreamWorks Animation; David Bradley (Merlin)
ThunderCats ROAR!, Episode: ThunderSlobs, Warner Bros. Animation; Patrick Seitz (Mumm-Ra, Tygra)

Best Voice Acting – Feature
Earwig and the Witch, Studio Ghibli; Vanessa Marshall (Bella Yaga)
Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Tom Holland (Ian Lightfoot)
Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions
Presentation; Robert G. Chiu (Chin)
The Croods: A New Age, DreamWorks Animation; Nicolas Cage (Grug)
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Eva Whittaker (Mebh Og MacTire)

Best Writing – TV/Media
Big Mouth, Episode: The New Me, Netflix; Andrew Goldberg, Patti Harrison, Andrew Goldberg
Craig of the Creek, Cartoon Network Studios; Jeff Trammell, Tiffany Ford, Dashawn Mahone, Najja Porter
Fancy Nancy, Episode: Nancy’s New Friend, Disney Television Animation; Krista Tucker, Andy Guerdat, Matt Hoverman, Laurie Israel, Marisa Evans-Sanden
Harley Quinn, Episode: Something Borrowed, Something Green; Eshugadee Productions in association with Warner Bros. Animation; Sarah Peters
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Episode: Heart Part 2, DreamWorks Animation; Noelle Stevenson

Best Writing – Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Studiocanal and Aardman present in association with Anton Capital Entertainment, An Aardman Production for Netflix; Mark Burton, Jon Brown
Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley, Keith Bunin
Over the Moon, Netflix Presents a Netflix/Pearl Studio Production / a Glen Keane Productions Presentation; Audrey Wells
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Pete Docter, Mike Jones, Kemp Powers
Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Will Collins

Best Editorial – TV/Media
Cops and Robbers, Lawrence Bender Productions for Netflix; Brandon Terry, Ezra Dweck, Del Spiva
Hilda, Episode: Chapter 9: The Deerfox, Silvergate Media for Netflix; John McKinnon
If Anything Happens I Love You, Gilbert Films / Oh Good Productions for Netflix; Peter Ettinger, Michael Babcock
Lamp Life, Episode: Lamp Life, Pixar Animation Studios; Serena Warner
To: Gerard, DreamWorks Animation; James Ryan

Best Editorial – Feature
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Studiocanal and Aardman present in association with Anton Capital Entertainment, An Aardman Production for Netflix; Sim Evan-Jones, ACE, Adrian Rhodes
Calamity Jane, Maybe Movies; Benjamin Massoubre
Onward, Pixar Animation Studios; Catherine Apple, Anna Wolitzky, Dave Suther
Soul, Pixar Animation Studios; Kevin Nolting, Gregory Amundson, Robert Grahamjones, Amera Rizk
The Willoughbys, Netflix Presents A BRON Animation Production inassociation with Creative Wealth Media; Fiona Toth, Ken Schretzmann, ACE

Read original story ‘Soul,’ ‘Wolfwalkers’ Top Annie Award Nominations for Animated Films At TheWrap